Viasat Systems Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

The first call was with HR, and it was a standard, detailed Q&A about my work history, salary history, desired salary, and job specifics. I tried to explain my job details, but the HR person didn't grasp the technical terms, so I had to simplify. It felt like a waste of time since I'd have to explain it all again to engineers. The next call was with an engineer who asked technical questions and about my background, which felt more productive. Then, I flew out for a full day of interviews on-site, with five separate sessions. They expected me to be okay with 45-hour weeks and to be able to use basic electrical engineering knowledge and hit project deadlines. I actually liked the interview process and the people; the technical questions were good. I thought it went well, but I didn't get an offer, and no one explained why. A major red flag throughout was the disconnect between the engineers and HR. They wouldn't let me email the engineers directly or get feedback. The interview got postponed, and I didn't even get to meet the main contact person, who turned out to be an HR rep. My guess is the selection is pretty standardized, maybe based on passing/failing specific questions. I'm not sure how much HR actually influences the final decision, but there were definitely warning signs. I would have liked to work with those smart engineers, though.

This interview process is quite extensive and involves meeting with many people, potentially 10 to 12 individuals. I see this as a positive sign that both the company and the candidate are genuinely seeking a good fit. However, the main drawback is the lengthy duration of the hiring process. If your skills are highly sought after, you might receive offers from other companies before this one concludes. It seems they might be missing out on great candidates because the process takes too long, which is an area that could definitely be improved.

So the interview process was pretty straightforward. It had two rounds. The first round was a quick one where I had to give an overview of my past experiences and answer some behavioral questions and one technical question. The second round was a longer one, lasting three hours. This round was focused on technical questions and included a coding exercise.